30 June 2021, SABC News, Tshepo Phagane
Media Monitoring Africa says the Local Government Elections should go ahead as planned with strict adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols.
Retired Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke continues hearing submissions at Centurion in Gauteng into whether free and fair Local Government Elections can be held under COVID-19.
The organisation made an oral presentation at the inquiry on Wednesday.
In his presentation, Media Monitoring Africa’s William Bird says journalists routinely risk their lives when they gather news, and if they take all the safety precautions, and are vaccinated during the drive targetting essential services workers, they will be able to do their job.
Bird says experts believe the virus will be around for a long time and therefore postponing the elections would not make any difference.
“We expect our workers to stand in queues at a taxi rank every day, they have to feed their families. This [voting] is also important. Put all the measures that we can reasonably put into place,” adds Bird.